96 Sportster Charging System

[The Sage]

My son recently got a 1996 Sportster. After a few days the battery was dead. Before charging, I noticed the battery was dry, so we filled it and charged it up.   Seemed to hold a charge as it started right up and he's been riding it. He called yesterday and said there was battery acid evident below the battery and on the cover. I assumed it must be overcharging. He called today and once again the battery is dead. I am assuming it boiled dry again. I am figuring that the regulator is bad. Is there anything else that would cause it to overcharge?

[14Frisco]

Maybe the battery is cracked?  Or one or several of the filler plugs are cracked or broken?

[Panzer]

I'll go along with Frisco, "cracked".
Try this:
Remove the battery, in a spry bottle, mix like 2 tbls baking soda in water to fill bottle.
Spray sides and bottom of battery, but not around the filler caps.
Where it foams is the crack.
The left over mix in the bottle use to spray on the bike parts (and your hands) before it eats the paint, if it hasn't already.
If you have a cut on your hand, the acid will let you know too.   lol

Panzer

[Panzer]

Just another thought.............
When you filled it, did you over fill it and now your getting spillage.
Fill to the split ring, but I guess you know that already.
Just a thought.

Panzer

[Coasty]

My son recently got a 1996 Sportster. After a few days the battery was dead. Before charging, I noticed the battery was dry, so we filled it and charged it up.   Seemed to hold a charge as it started right up and he's been riding it. He called yesterday and said there was battery acid evident below the battery and on the cover. I assumed it must be overcharging. He called today and once again the battery is dead. I am assuming it boiled dry again. I am figuring that the regulator is bad. Is there anything else that would cause it to overcharge?

Have you checked the voltage when charging anything more than 13.5 it is over charging.  If the voltage is ok it is a battery problem.